ST. ALBANS, Vt. -
After police say a Vermont teen was found dead in this park and ride Sunday night they tested the car to see if there was an issue.
"There were 2 leaks in the exhaust system," said St. Albans Police Chief Gary Taylor.
A problem that police say created a deadly scenario as carbon monoxide came through vents as Logan Newell sat idle in the parking lot.
"We were able to determine that within 7 to 9 minutes there would have been 1800 per million parts CO in the vehicle," said Taylor.
That wasn't the first time police encountered Newell here at the park and ride.
Just last week they say an officer found him in his car not feeling well and tired but after talking to the police officer he started to feel better and went on his way.
"I think the officer felt he was very responsible young man for making the decision not to drive," said Taylor.
Taylor says Newell knew about the problem and parts to fix it were expected to be delivered by Tuesday.
"A friend of his was going to help him repair the exhaust," said Taylor.
Mechanics say exhaust issues aren't rare.
"Carbon monoxide is colorless, odorless, tasteless and deadly," said George Maglaris.
In order to protect yourself Maglaris says look out for loud noises coming from the exhaust, check engine light come on, or if you feel dizzy or sleepy while driving or sitting idle.
"It's not as common as it used to be because the exhaust systems have gotten much better but we still see a number of issues," said Maglaris.
If you're wondering about your exhaust system, you can get it looked at by a local mechanic.
But keep in mind, in order to pass an annual Vermont state inspection, the mechanic must make sure there are no issues with your exhaust.
